Attorney General Phil Weiser reaches agreement with Marriott hotels over price transparency

Feb. 7, 2024 (DENVER) – Attorney General Phil Weiser today announced a settlement agreement with Marriott International, Inc. that will make it easier for consumers to find the actual price of a room if they choose to book with the hotel chain. State officials found the company misrepresented the total price of their hotel rooms to consumers by excluding mandatory fees from advertised room rates.

“When consumers are trying to book a hotel, it should be easy to see the full price without having to jump through hoops or face sticker shock at checkout,” said Weiser. “Too many companies have, however, used deceptive or “junk” fees to cheat consumers. By requiring Marriott to be more transparent about their pricing, we’re making life a little easier for consumers.”

Weiser previously announced settlement agreements with Choice Hotels and Omni Hotels to make similar changes to those companies’ advertised room prices.

Under the terms of the agreement, Marriott will not misrepresent their room rates, mandatory fees, or total price in any written or oral advertisements or offers. The company will clearly disclose all mandatory fees and the total price of any room, making the total price—including mandatory fees—the most prominently displayed price in any advertisements or offers. The company will also make any search results that are sortable by price display the total price of the room.

Adding to the transparency requirements in the agreement, Marriott will clearly explain the goods and services covered by their mandatory fees and train staff on how to comply with the agreement. The company will also require third parties operating their hotels to comply with the agreement and take action if third-party operators do not comply.

According to their website, Marriott operates 169 hotels in Colorado under brands like Westin, Courtyard, Fairfield, Residence Inn, and SpringHill Suites among others.

Consumers who believe any business is using deceptive practices should file a complaint with the attorney general at StopFraudColorado.gov.

###